NEWS: Anneliese opposes the Government's Nomination of members to committee motion

Many constituents have recently contacted Anneliese with their concerns about the government’s recent motion that changed the rules to ensure the Conservatives have a majority of MPs on select committees despite not having a majority in the House of Commons. The motion tabled on Tuesday 12th September enables the government to lessen the amount of scrutiny and challenge for new legislation passed through the House of Commons.

Anneliese opposed the Government’s motion which explicitly sought to give the government a majority of one on General Committees when the number of members is odd. This would enable it to have a majority on any Public Bill Committee it wishes.

Anneliese argued that the membership of House of Commons Committees should reflect the composition of the House of Commons following a General Election which is why she voted against the motion.

Anneliese was on the BBC’s Daily Politics show on Monday 11th September talking about this very issue. Anneliese said “whether you voted to leave or remain in the EU referendum the result showed that the public wanted more power for the British Parliament, but that the Government's position on Brexit, and on committee appointments, has done the opposite, because the Government are too frightened to have their position on legislation criticised”.

Disappointingly the motion passed 320 to 301 with assistance from the Democratic Unionist Party backing the Conservatives. However, Anneliese has vowed to continue to take every opportunity to hold the government to account on all areas of policy that are important to the constituents of Oxford East.